A Sunday night gathering ended tragically after a fight resulted in the deaths of two men near a popular bar in Manchester, Corentyne.
The incident which occurred sometime between 11.30 pm and midnight, claimed the lives of Mark Simon, 29, of Liverpool, Corentyne and Kempton Gray, 23, of Alness, Corentyne. Three others, Bhiron Robertson, called ‘Bows’, 31, of Liverpool; Samuel Fraser, 32, of Liverpool and Gary Tyndall, 32, of Courtland, Corentyne, sustained gaping wounds about their bodies.
When Stabroek News approached the owner of the bar for a comment he stated that the incident did not occur on his premises, but next door. He also stated that when the fight broke out he was at his home and by the time he got to the scene friends and family were taking injured victims to the hospital.
According to a police release, “…A group of men were imbibing at a bar at Manchester, Corentyne, when an argument arose which turned into a disorderly brawl involving the use of cutlasses and knives.”
Relatives of the deceased victims said it was believed that the brawl sparked from an argument between Simon and Robertson over a woman.
Currently, Fraser, Tyndall and Robertson are hospitalized; Robertson is said to be under police guard at the New Amsterdam Hospital. Their conditions are reported to be all stable.
At Gray’s home, his family was trying to come to grasps with his death. His father, Garfield Gray, revealed that his son was not injured during the brawl in the vicinity of the bar. He explained that during the incident Fraser, Gray’s cousin, attempted to make peace and as a result he sustained a chop to his left foot. He said Gray, along with other relatives assisted in carrying Fraser and Simon to the hospital. While at the Port Mourant Hospital Gray, was pointed out by Tyndall to police as one of the persons who were involved in the brawl. With that, Gray’s father said, his son left the hospital compound “because he didn’t want no police story and walk up the road towards Rose Hall. After I hear of the fight I call him and he said he is in front of Spready’s and let me see a car to pick him up. I turned and ask where I would get a car now? Not long after my niece called me and told me that Samuel [Fraser] got transferred to New Amsterdam Hospital and they would pick up Kempton.”
Gray explained further that when he called his son and related that his cousin would pick him up, he said he would walk back to the hospital. The man said the cousin called Gray on his phone but the calls went unanswered and they drove directly to the hospital.
At around 3 am, Gray said, his niece called to inform him that an ambulance had taken his son to the hospital and he was unresponsive. He succumbed while receiving medical attention. The father stated that when he visited the mortuary yesterday morning he observed that his son sustained and abdominal stab wound, a cut on his hand and a blow to the back of his head in the region of his ear. Persons familiar with the incident stated that Gray was not seen imbibing alcohol that night.
Meanwhile, Simon’s family declined to comment on the incident stating that none of them were at the scene and they had no first-hand knowledge of what occurred. His mother Alice Simon said she received a call and went to the hospital where she learnt of his death.
In May this year, Simon had been shot and chopped about his body following an allegation of livestock theft. Relatives said Simon underwent surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital to remove the bullets that were lodged in his body.
From his hospital bed, Tyndall told Stabroek News that he had parked his car near the bar and was chatting with a friend when the crowd approached. He recalled telling a person involved in the fight to keep the fight away from his car. He claimed that after he said this, Gray slapped him and he chased after him.
Tyndall alleged that Gray stabbed him in the right side of his abdomen and again in his thumb as he attempted to escape by jumping over a trench.
He said that he managed to get into his vehicle and accompanied by his friend, drove to the Port Mourant Hospital where he was treated and sent home and told to report to the New Amsterdam Hospital yesterday. Yesterday morning, he said, his brother drove him to the hospital and he was told he needed to undergo surgery.
Police investigations are continuing.
Simon leaves to mourn one child, his siblings and his mother, while Gray is survived by his parents and siblings.
